Who Wrote The Book Of Love
by Vampire Prince Cleaver
Summary: It's not easy living a life of lies, loneliness, and fear. It's also not easy falling in love. Cronus, Equius, Dave, and Eridan wonder. Who the fuck wrote the book of love anyway? Rated M for future chapters.


(hello every1, so i am finally beginning this fic. All chaps will be named after a song and i'll place the artist next 2 it 4 the curious. This first chapter and its parts have songs i have chosen to support future chapters so they hold foreshadowing. Disclaimer is obvious, i don't own homestuck but i do own this AU. Any1 want 2 see art 4 this fic can go 2 my Tumblr. I am darkartsh8u.)

**Who**** Wrote The Book Of Love**

**Chapter One: Bitter Sweet Symphony _(The Verve)_**_  
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**_Pt 1: Million Dollar Man (Lana Del Rey)_**

Another year, another year of exceedingly boring days to add to my memoirs written in the depths of my exceedingly boring life. I am Equius Zahhak. I would be lying if I said that there was nothing boring about my life. There is nothing exciting about keeping up the facade of perfection. I am the embodiment of perfection... well on the outside. I'm 6ft 4, seventeen, handsome (so I've been told by all), i have better hair then most females i know, and i come from one of the wealthiest families in Skaia. Inside, inside i am falling apart and its showing. Stress and depression has become a friend of mine. Fatigue is another friend, a annoying one that everyone will notice if you don't cover it up with a professional make up artist every time you desire to go out in public view. I hide my 'erotic' interests in fear of persecution. Its very exhausting being me, as conceited as that sounds.

"Come oooooooon! Drive faster!"

"I am going as fast as the speed limit allows me Vriska, please be patient."

Vriska Ampora, her family is right above mine in the hierarchy. Her mother, a maiden Serket, who is beneath my family married into the Ampora's. By status standards I'm subjected to chaperoning Vriska and her equally annoying brother Eridan to and from school as well as any place they desire between. The moment they discovered I got my drivers licence during summer brake they branded me chauffeur.

"Yea, Vris. Are you tryin' to get us killed or something?" Eridan whined as he placed his feet on my dashboard. I was not pleased, the truck my father got me was nothing special, yet that is. I'd seen it, all run down and abandoned in a old mans drive way. I knew i could fix it up nicely in time. Didn't have much time during the summer but that didn't mean it wasn't worth anything more then a place to prop your feet on.

"Ampora, please could you... well if its not to bold a suggestion... that is..." I'm pathetic. I can't even utter a simple request without fear.

"Get your damn feet off his dash shit head!" Vriska yelled, making me jump. Eridan sneered but listened. Sure Vriska was annoying but i must admit, she was the only person outside my family that looked out for me or gave me anytime of day that didn't involve my status. She didn't see me as someone at her level or beneath, she saw me as... well i'm not sure. She explained it to me during brake but she stumbled over her words and cursed so much she lost me at times. It was never easy for her to show positive emotions to someone other then her commoner boyfriend.

I glance back at her through my rear view mirror and she smirks at me. I smile thankfully back. The rest of the drive to school was quiet on Eridan's part. Vriska on the other hand went on and on about the week trip she took to some lake with her boyfriends family. Finally we arrived at school. Skaia Private Academy. Only the wealthy families sent their kids here. Some from other cities, some from other countries. It was the perfect school if you wanted a future without a problem child. Eridan was the first out and slammed my door shut and stormed off. He didn't take people giving him orders to well. He had power and he knew it. A fool is not what he liked being made of even though he does it to himself majority of the time.

"Hey after school can you take me down town?"

"Of course, but i must be home by six. I have asked Nepeta to feed the horses once to many times for me already." My family is wealthy on my fathers side, but like his father and down the family legacy we have always lived a semi common life on a horse ranch. Our home is a mansion compared to most farm houses but simple none the less. I liked it this way. On our ranch I could feel the strain of eyes on me lift. Horses don't exactly judge you.

"Yeah, yeah, of course. It shouldn't take to long for me to chew out Nitram."

Nitram? What could she possibly want to associate with such a low class boy like him even if it ment 'chewing him out'? She must have noticed my disgust and question.

"Heh, Tavros owes me big. During brake i helped him a few times cuz he couldn't lift his pathetic self up to get stuff on top shelves at the book store r just those simple things he can't do cuz he's such a week weenny."

"Vriska, he's a paraplegic, I highly doubt he could do things the way he used even if he wished to."

"Awww, defending him now are we."

"Of course not! I... I'll take you. Excuse me, I need to get to class." I can hear her snicker as I rush off.

Many things happened over the summer. One was that the youngest son of the low class family of the Nitrams, a Hispanic family combined with the Japanese family the Megidos by marriage, became paralyzed from the waist down. Many blame Vriska, I wasn't there so I cant be one to judge but considering how cruel she was to him i wouldn't be surprised if she had a hand in his accident. But whether she did or not was no concern of mine. Yet it still made me sick to accompany her on her entourage of harassment on a physically challenged person.

There were times i truly wished i wasn't so bound by the image i had to present to the public.

_**Pt 2: Aquarius (Within Temptation)**_

I'm Eridan Ampora. Is there really much more you need to know? I'm sexy in every aspect of that word. If anyone thinks other wise they are either blind and brain damaged or just plain insane. That's what I used to think. I'm one of the richest teens in Skaia. I should be the happiest guy in the world, I should be covered in bitches. I shouldn't have to beg my girlfriend not to break up with me. She shouldn't want to brake up with me for a taken guy. A taken guy who I can't stand for reasons of my own.

"I'm sorry Eridan, I know Sollux is dating some one right now but i want to be free when he is no longer with her."

"Fef, you gotta be fuckin' kidding me." Feferi Makara. She's above in every way possible. She's the most beautiful girl alive and you'd be lucky to speak to her let alone date her. She's also the daughter of Skaia's most powerful family. Her mother's family the Peixes house are above my family and even more so considering Feferi's father is head of Makara house. The Makara's are the strongest family in all of Skaia. Like I said, perfect. A perfect girl like that should not be drooling over and breaking up with me for a peasant loser from the Captor house!

"I'm sorry, I really am. I gotta go." Feferi turns, her long wavy hair swaying with each movement. "You should go before your sister has Equius leave you here."

I guess I've lost. I walk slowly to the parking lot. The first day into my Sophomore year and things are already going down the shitter. It wasn't fair. As i get closer to the car I can hear Vriska yelling at me. I'm not sure what she's saying though. All i can register is Feferi's break up ringing in my head on repeat. I get in the car, Vriska is still ranting.

"Ampora?"

"What?"

"Is everything alright?"

"Did i say something was wrong Equ! Just fuckin drive!"

My head hurts. I just want to go home and sleep. Sleep like i used to six years ago when things began to fall apart. When he left and took my life with him.

_**Pt 3: Woven (Hednoize)**_

Day in and day out. It all seems so... fucked up. There's no excitement, no thrills Skaia beside the drive in theater and Miss Paint's dive. Then again, whats a guy to do in a modern world when his brain is stuck in a time period he never experienced? I'm Cronus. Just Cronus. I lost my family name, eh, six? Seven or so years ago when I up and said "I'm livin' my own life and there's nothin' you can 'bout it.", big mistake when i did it but I'm content with my solitude now. Kinda. I've always been different ever since i was kid. I was the weird kid on the play ground who wanted to do magic tricks instead of play kick ball. I was the troubled teen who hung out with the delinquents and believed he was the coolest kid in 50s greaser threads. Now I'm a twenty three year old adult with the same brain function who has never gotten laid or ever had a girlfriend. Pretty sad huh?

"It's been six days Cronus. You need rest."

"Yea, I know."

"Lay down hun." Porrim Vantas. She's one smokin' hot babe. Long sexy legs, hour glass figure, vampire queen look, and a face of a goddess. Everything a guy would want to sack, a guy like me. The thought has never crossed my mind though. Well, okay, maybe in my earlier years but I have nothing but total respect for her. Besides she's my best friends older sister. I'm pretty fucked up but not so much that I'd screw a friends sister.

I lay down and use her super comfy lap as a pillow. We do this every four or so days. I have a nasty case of insomnia. Over the years I have realized that if I use Porrim as a pillow I knock out for a good five hours. She assures me I can drop by every afternoon but I can't take her time like some kinda leech. I come when i cant bare it anymore. Besides her preacher daddy don't really like guys in his eldest daughter's room or near his youngest daughter's.

My eyes open, almost painfully. Porrim is rummaging in her closet. What? You dont expect her to stay put for hours do you?

"How many hours?"

"Just three. Spend the night, you need more rest." She looks back at me with concern.

"Nah, it's cool. I feel fine. Besides, I aint got work tomarrow." Leaving home when your only seventeen is the most stupid thing you can do. Adding dumb teen pride to that and it's not any better. I stayed with friends for a few days at a time but eventually I had to get three jobs so I could get a place of my own and not starve to death in the process. I only have two jobs now. I work as a mechanic at this lil asshole of a mans garage and as a night patrol at the beach. The pay aint the greatest and between the both of them I only have one day off. It's not as bad as it sounds. I mean, I am my father's son. The men of my family are survivors. I may have lost my name but I didn't lose my blood. I pull my boots on and swing my leather over my shoulder. "Thanks doll. Gonna get out of here before Kankri gets home and him and your dad preach my ear off about bein' in a girl's room at night."

"Of course, you are welcome to stay though." I hate when Porrim gets that worried look on her face. I know she sees me as a brother, she reminds me every chance she gets. I put my free arm around her and hug her.

"I'll be fine." I let her go and make my escape before the Vantas men get home. There were times I wished I didn't care about wasting Porrim's time. Theres times I just wanted to latch onto her and sleep my life away. I wanted to not be lonely anymore, but I could never bring myself to use her. So I force myself to be a man. A man. If people other then those closest to me knew how pathetic I was I would be seen as less then a man. I'd rather die then be seen as weak.

_**Pt 4: Not Strong Enough (Apocalyptica)**_

I hate having time. When I have time I think to much. Sometimes I piss myself off so much, sometimes I get depressed, sometimes I just flat out fucking scare myself. I'm Dave Strider and I'm not the cool kid I pretend to be. Sure it's easy for me to hold up my poker face and say witty shit at perfect times and everyone wants to seem to know me or just be seen with me so they can say they talked to a Strider, but it's hard to keep a cool head. Over the summer all my friends seemed to be busy so I was stuck in the apartment with to much time. I began to think that maybe everyone sees me as I am on the inside. Maybe they actually laugh behind my back. You can say it's petty teen shit. I mean I'm only sixteen, but when I began to think about letting my inner self out I get scared. So very scared.

I toss and turn in bed. I can't get in a position that my legs will like and stop bitching! Having restless legs is a bitch sent from hell. On nights like these I'll sneak out of the apartment while my bros are sleep. My oldest brother, Dirk, doesn't like me going out late cuz he says pretty boys get gang raped. Yeah I know what your thinking. My other brother, also older then me, is Caliborn. He's not related to us by blood but he's been around since I was a lil dude and just ended up staying for good. I never knew my parents, they died when I was a baby so there was no one to object to the decisions my bro made. No one to tell him that Caliborn can't stay, no one to tell him he can't spar with his lil brother using swords on the roof top of his complex, no one to tell him he can't have a online sex toy shop or be a porn star. Yeah I ain't kidding bout those last two. Anyway, my bro only has four rules for me. One, no drugs. Two, no alcohol. 3, no going out after ten. And three, I am not allowed to to talk to or let Cronus Ampora in the apartment unless Dirk is there. I follow all cept the first one.

Throwing on some random pants, my Vans, and a jacket I sneak into the hallway and into the living room. I pass the sofa and make sure Caliborn is asleep. Heh, sleepin like a baby. I slowly turn the knob and open the door. I wait a few seconds to make sure I haven't been caught. Once I am sure I close the door. I am a fuckin ninja. I do this almost every night. After a walk around the park I can usually go to sleep once I go home. It's annoying as fuck but I do what I need to.

The park is lit by a few lamps along the side walk a few more by the play ground. That swing looks really appealing right about now. I walk through the sand and regret wearing Vans with no socks as sand falls into my shoe. To tired to care. Ugh. I sit on the swing and just sit there. Actually swinging would be so uncool. I wished I could talk to some one about how I feel and all these dumb thoughts I've had. I cant talk to bro or Caliborn, I mean come on who really talks to their family about issues? I cant talk to John, my best dorky as all hell, best friend. If he found out I'm not a super cool guy with no problems my life will be over. I just need one person, one person I can totally trust not to open their mouth to anyone or care that I'm a fake.

I'm about to get up and finish my walk when I'm grabbed around the neck and a switch blade is being shown to me. My heart stops. Guess I ain't as great a ninja as I thought if I didn't hear shit.

"Lil boys should be all tucked in there beds and asleep at this time. Need some help?" I know that voice.

"Fucking Cronus, let go!" I push against him but he wont let up.

"Easy kiddo, I ain't gonna hurt you. Not everything your bro says is true ya know." He puts his blade away and lets go. My brother told me when I was ten that Cronus was some one who could not be trusted. Kinda odd considering he and my bro have been friends since they were in high school and are now in the same motorcycle gang. I never got a bad feeling with Cronus but I didn't like him anyway. "The hell are you doin' out this late anyway? It's like one AM."

"Can't sleep. I gotta go." I start walking back home.

"You look troubled!" I stop. Is it really noticeable. "You know the only way to keep up a front is to vent. Ease that pressure and you'll be fine." Fuck! Does he know? No, he couldn't. I continue walking. "Wanna talk?" I stop again and take a deep breath.

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Can you?" My bro would skin him alive if he knew about this. If one of us talks the other gets screwed and I could care less what Cronus thought of me. It was perfect.

"Yes."

Two rules broken.


End file.
